2025-26 UEFA Europa League, referee appointments for the first legs of KO Play-offs.
Thursday 19 February 2026
18:45 CET - Zagreb (Stadion Maksimir)
GNK DINAMO (CRO) - KRC GENK (BEL)
Referee: Halil Umut Meler TUR
Assistant Referee 1: Abdullah Özkara TUR
Assistant Referee 2: Ibrahim Çaglar Uyarcan TUR
Fourth Official: Cihan Aydın TUR
Video Assistant Referee: Fedayi San SUI
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Onur Özütoprak TUR
UEFA Referee Observer: William Collum SCO
UEFA Delegate: Gerard Lawlor NIR
Assistant Referee 2: Ibrahim Çaglar Uyarcan TUR
Fourth Official: Cihan Aydın TUR
Video Assistant Referee: Fedayi San SUI
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Onur Özütoprak TUR
UEFA Referee Observer: William Collum SCO
UEFA Delegate: Gerard Lawlor NIR
18:45 CET - Thessaloniki (Stádio Toúmbas)
PAOK FC (GRE) - REAL CLUB CELTA DE VIGO (ESP)
Referee: Ivan Kružliak SVK
Assistant Referee 1: Branislav Hancko SVK
Assistant Referee 2: Jan Pozor SVK
Fourth Official: Michal Očenáš SVK
Video Assistant Referee: Pawel Malec POL
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Piotr Lasyk POL
UEFA Referee Observer: Michael Johansen DEN
UEFA Delegate: Mark Blackbourne ENG
18:45 CET - Bergen (Brann Stadion)
SK BRANN (NOR) - BOLOGNA FC 1909 (ITA)
Referee: Rade Obrenovič SVN
Assistant Referee 1: Jure Praprotnik SVN
Assistant Referee 2: Tomaž Klančnik SVN
Fourth Official: Martin Matoša SVN
Video Assistant Referee: Alen Borošak SVN
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Asmir Sagrković SVN
UEFA Referee Observer: Neale Barry ENG
UEFA Delegate: Christian Kofoed DEN
18:45 CET - Istanbul (Fenerbahçe Şükrü Saracoğlu Spor Kompleksi)
FENERBAHÇE (TUR) - NOTTINGHAM FOREST FC (ENG)
Referee: Sandro Schärer SUI
Assistant Referee 1: Stéphane De Almeida SUI
Assistant Referee 2: Jonas Erni SUIFourth Official: Anojen Kanagasingam SUI
Video Assistant Referee: Lukas Fähndrich SUI
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Luca Cibelli SUI
UEFA Referee Observer: René Temmink NED
UEFA Delegate: Jens Futterknecht GER
21:00 CET - Razgrad (Huvepharma Arena)
PFK LUDOGORETS 1945 (BUL) - FERENCVÁROSI TC (HUN)
Referee: Tobias Stieler GER
Assistant Referee 1: Lasse Koslowski GER
Assistant Referee 2: Mark Borsch GER
Fourth Official: Matthias Jöllenbeck GER
Video Assistant Referee: Sören Storks GER
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Johann Pfeifer GER
Assistant Referee 2: Mark Borsch GER
Fourth Official: Matthias Jöllenbeck GER
Video Assistant Referee: Sören Storks GER
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Johann Pfeifer GER
UEFA Referee Observer: Boško Jovanetić SRB
UEFA Delegate: Hayri Çavuşoğlu TUR
21:00 CET - Athens (Olymbiakó Athlitikó Kéntro Athinón "Spýros Loúis")
PANATHINAÏKÓS AO (GRE) - FC VIKTORIA PLZEŇ (CZE)
Referee: Nicholas Walsh SCO
Assistant Referee 1: Francis Connor SCO
Assistant Referee 2: Daniel McFarlane SCO
Fourth Official: Donald Robertson SCO
Video Assistant Referee: Andrew Dallas SCO
Fourth Official: Donald Robertson SCO
Video Assistant Referee: Andrew Dallas SCO
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Kevin Clancy SCO
UEFA Referee Observer: Aleksei Kulbakov BLR
UEFA Delegate: Artur Azaryan ARM
21:00 CET - Villeneuve d'Ascq (Stade Pierre Mauroy)
LOSC LILLE (FRA) - FK CRVENA ZVEZDA (SRB)
Referee: Sven Jablonski GER
Assistant Referee 1: Eduard Beitinger GER
Assistant Referee 2: Robert Kempter GER
Fourth Official: Sascha Stegemann GER
Video Assistant Referee: Robert Schröder GER
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Christian Dingert GER
Assistant Referee 2: Robert Kempter GER
Fourth Official: Sascha Stegemann GER
Video Assistant Referee: Robert Schröder GER
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Christian Dingert GER
UEFA Referee Observer: Augustus Constantin ROU
UEFA Delegate: Anthony Bloch ENG
21:00 CET - Glasgow (Celtic Park)
CELTIC FC (SCO) - VFB STUTTGART (GER)
Referee: Erik Lambrechts BEL
Assistant Referee 1: Mathias Hillaert BEL
Assistant Referee 2: Kevin Monteny BEL
Fourth Official: Jasper Vergoote BEL
Video Assistant Referee: Bram Van Driessche BEL
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Pol van Boekel NED
UEFA Referee Observer: David Malcom NIR
UEFA Delegate: Lennart Vestervall SWE
All of them are elite referees and appointed to the Europa League. :) Good to see Umut and Scharer back
ReplyDeleteWe can observe a "categorization" of KO assignments: Eite referees in Champions League (no doubts, but not the new ones), then all Elite referees in Europa League as well (including new ones) and some Category 1 only in Conference League. We will see whether second legs will respect same pattern, but it's very likely, even more knowing that appointments have been made before.
ReplyDeleteAll three German Elite appointed unless Zwayer, maybe a second leg in either Europa or Conference League for him.
Still, no Italian referees and that's very surprising.
One should think that in Champions League there will be very likely two names in second legs... and maybe a third one in Europa League.
Not only Italians are missing yet, no English center referee yet. Return legs would be interesting.
DeleteI expect to see names like Oliver and Marciniak in UCL return legs while Kavanagh featuring in Europa League return leg
Kavanagh is appointed in the UECL
DeleteKavanagh is on duty in ECL first leg
DeleteYeah I was wrong.
DeleteMarciniak had leg injury, confirmed by ex-polish FA chief. For now he's been only appointed as VAR. We have to wait for big guy
DeleteGood game for the new elite Walsh.
ReplyDeleteGood game for Lambrechts. Strange that the full team is still not Belgian, while we have eg also Bert Put and Jan Boterberg who passed Uefa (or even FIfa, I am not sure) VAR tests. His potential Belgian successor Vergoote 4th ref. Visser totally disappeared from the UEFA scène. That won’t be a surprise for Chefren 😄
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I'm sorry for Visser, there was more than a big focus on him, you know. He was in the position that with regular performances, nothing more than that, he would have achieved the goal of being promoted to Elite, I'm sure. But he failed. Focus was then removed by committee, he didn't disappear completely, but surely a big pity if we think about his potential development. In the end Lambrechts distinguished more himself, but I think basically between the two there isn't this big gap. What do you think?
DeleteChallenging game for Schaerer in Istanbul, Fenerbahçe asking for VAR, but it wasn't a punishable handball, I agree with Fähndrich from VAR room.
ReplyDeleteI dont agree
DeleteWhy did Schärer interrupt the game in Istanbul for a VAR review if there was no handball offense?
ReplyDeleteNobody cant explain this
DeleteNot ideal but at least they reached the right decision
ReplyDeleteIs sandro schärer chance to go world cup finals
ReplyDeleteI hope so. He is a very good referee when he is not injured!
DeleteGreat onside by AR1 of the Swiss crew for 0-3
ReplyDeleteTwo very good consecutive offside/onside decision by Kružliak's ARs in PAOK - Celta (Celta goal disallowed, PAOK goal allowed)
ReplyDeleteI do agree
DeleteHow is meler
ReplyDeleteGood but not great performance. Sometimes he seemed seems a bit unmotivated and with an approach too timid compared to the style I recognized in him. And it’s a pity considering his capabilities.
DeleteTo be honest, it seems like we will not see a Turkish referee at this level for a long time, the last representative of Turkish refereeing AND What do you think about him not being in the World Cup squad?
DeleteMeler is a good referee. And he is young.
DeleteHe will have plenty of time to seize many opportunities in his future, but he must believe in them and in himself as well
36‘ Jablonski YC against Stankovic! Absolutely right. Two minutes earlier, a player wanted to take a free kick between AR 1 and the referee. The whistle remained correctly. The coach was upset, lack of respect to the Game. Very Good yellow card from the German team. Strong Performance so far by the German Team…
ReplyDeleteGood performance by Obrenovic in not so demanding match. He was accepted all the time by the players and officials.
ReplyDeleteNothing to report about Lambrechts in a straight forward match. My only complaint is whatever whistle he is using sounds terrible and quiet but this is more of a personal preference than a genuine complaint.
ReplyDeleteJablonski SEVERAL corner kicks missed in favor of Red Star. Unacceptable.
ReplyDeleteHe missed two. You don't have to exaggerate.
DeleteSeveral is wrong. It was just one. Please stay real.
DeleteAll in All a very good Job from the Germans. I like Jablonski's body language. It is very strict but it looks natural. Exciting!
DeleteLet's stick to the truth; there were only one or two corner kicks, not several. You certainly haven't made a wrong corner kick decision yet
DeleteIn Addition. Because I guess it is bashing. In 43‘ he gave a 50/50 corner for Red Star. You truly watched the whole Match @Miki?
DeleteI guess you don’t! Sorry.
LOSC LILLE vs CRVENA ZVEZDA
ReplyDeleteSven Jablonski, excellent job, understanding football as expected in play off matches.
VAR follows and does not invent hot water, well done.
AGREE!
DeleteObrenovic, all in first half.
ReplyDelete23' Possible handball
https://streambug.org/cv/907042
Replay is not conclusive but it was checked by VAR, no punishable.
34' Missed YC for reckless elbow
https://streambug.org/cv/1c72e1
Bologna player said that he felt big pain after having been hit, in my opinion he tried to influence for a possible red card, but basically one can admit here that if contact, clear YC missed, missed foul by Slovenian.
36' Penalty area incident
https://streambug.org/cv/bf5b55
Nothing, correct decision to play on with clear gesture.
Regular performance for the Slovenian with only a missed YC...
Chefren, a few days ago when I checked the UEFA website, the referee observer for the Juventus-Galatasaray match was a Portuguese referee. Just now, when I checked again, it's Martin Ingwarsson from Sweden. Does this indicate that the referee for the return match was changed based on the score of the first match?
ReplyDeleteCould be, but I honestly don't see why they would. Yes, it is a three goal deficit but I expect Juventus to go for it from minute one and if they get two quick goals you certainly have a very hot game on your hands once again
DeleteI think, it is a observer swap with Newcastle-Qarabag.
DeletePossible that the referee, who was initially planned in Newcastle, as moved to Juventus due to the first leg result in Qarabag to give him a better game.
Oh interesting, I didn't take note of the previous observers who were originally shown before first legs. My fault, I should have done that. If you see it's a different name, indeed the very likely explanation is that they decided to change. Now, if a very top will appear, we will have maybe the final confirmation.
DeleteHowever, I really don't understand why they work in this way, honestly, if they have time to make assignments, in some cases, after first legs, then why to make a previous choice before?
@Philipp very good explanation
Deletehttps://streambug.org/cv/b30603
ReplyDeleteHere is a video of the heated moments in the first half for Schaerer in Istanbul. To be noticed the reaction of the players, the coaching staff (the coach behaving aggressively, at least in terms of gestures, toward the fourth official), and the fans, who were completely convinced it was a penalty (just look at that arm raised in the stands, never coming down…).
These are the toughest matches to referee of all, with such an eccentric crowd atmosphere. In the end, it was correct not to award the penalty, there is also an attempt to remove the arm The only open question is why he stopped the game even if no OFR. But honestly, it's easy to guess how difficult it must have been for him even just to hear anything through his headset with all that noise, concentrating on the match going on at the same time would perhaps have been beyond all people's capabilities.
I was in the stadium. He stopped the game because of noise, it was preety obvious that he had problems to hear his colleagues from VAR room. Overall, a good performance for Schaerer.
DeleteViktoria Pilzno - Panathinaikos: Peljto
ReplyDeleteFerencvaros - Łudogorec: Zwayer
Stuttgart - Celtic: Sanchez
Crvena zvezda - Lille: Taylor
Celta Vigo - PAOK: Guida
Genk - Dinamo Zagrzeb: Jablonski
Nottingham - Fenerbahce: Massa
Bologna - Brann: Turpin
Ferencvaros - Ludogorec with Zwayer isn't possible, I guess, because Stieler had the first leg.
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ReplyDeleteAnonymous,has been announced as the referee observer for the Newcastle-Qarabag match, along with Joao Ferreira. However, Joao Ferreira was recently the referee observer for the Juventus-Galatasaray match. This shows that the referees, along with the observers, are being changed. I apologize for the late hour, but I just noticed this and wanted to share it with you.
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ReplyDeleteI can imagine Jablonski getting a playoff game after his good performances
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DeleteI would assume that the WC play-offs are covered by the pre-selected referees. We have 12 UEFA games + maybe 2 interconfederational games for UEFA officials, so nearly everyone from the list could get a game there.
DeleteI don't think, there is much of a difference between the play-off finals and the semi-finals in terms of importance, so hard to say, who gets which game there. But if you want an early guess, I'll say Zwayer, Turpin, Sanchez and Kovacs for the UEFA finals.
IMO it would make sense to use more than your top20 in the first two CL KO rounds, but it doesn't really look like that, because the games in this week would have been the chance for some variety, but were not really used for it.
So probably most of the top referees will have to do 2 CL KO games and one WC play-off in five weeks.
Alejandro Quintero appointed to referee Osasuna v Real Madrid. The first time since he sent off two Madrid players at the Bernabéu. This fixture caused controversy last season with Bellingham’s red card for dissent.
ReplyDeleteDoveri handling Juve-Como,so far plenty SPA's and reckless fouls.
ReplyDelete0 cards so far. 🙃
The point is that in most of his matches, like today's for example, at least so far, nothing significant happens in the penalty areas, and he has little or nothing to decide. Still, everyone considers him outstanding for applying this style. It's ridiculous, because if all referees started officiating this way, helped by a good luck of having mostly calm matches, they would be successful too.
DeleteFor example, La Penna's controversy happened just because he wanted to "referee" a match like Inter–Juventus, and not just manage it.
Well,let's hope that majority would not handle matches like Doveri.
DeleteBut I'm afraid that's the future cause we all know the trend,less cards less you are being talked about.
And about this style,I really can't imagine how Rocchi tolerates that style when we all remember himss being strict ref.
Bu then again he allows him that and when he has matches where he is not talking point like the one in Juve Como,then there is obviously no problem.
But then again,so many reckless tackles, SPA-s and he applied no card policy.
Ridiculous.
Osasuna-Real again what an acting from Vinicius and defender got YC! Unbeliavable. Few minutes later for alleged simulation referee gave YC to Osasuna attacker in Real PK area. But VAR reacted and PK was given to Osasuna. How on Earth ref hurried issue YC, that is outreagues! And he didn’t see the foul at all, but “saw” the dive!
ReplyDeleteWell I actually understand Quintero’s first impression of a dive very well. The type of contact low on the foot is very unusual for such challenges by the goal keeper. And on top the contact was hard to see at all.
DeleteThat was a really good showing for Manganiello in Lecce-Inter. Barely doing any mistake
ReplyDeleteI would like to ask about possibility that Srdjan Jovanovic officiate playoff UCL Newcastle Qarabag?
ReplyDeleteNo way
DeleteI think this should more be a game for a younger referee to gain experience on the big stage of Europa. I don't see any sense to appoint Jovanovic there to be honest.
Delete